CNN, host of Tuesday’s Democratic presidential debate in Las Vegas, is being urged to play fair and ask questions that prompt the candidates to attack each other just like during the GOP debate the cable network hosted in September.
According to the Media Research Center, the conservative media watchdog, 55 of the 74 questions CNN asked at its GOP debate prompted the candidates to fight with each other over policies, positions and even personal traits.
That amounted to 74 percent of the questions.
“If Tuesday night’s lead moderator Anderson Cooper is following Jake Tapper’s GOP debate model, viewers should expect questions designed to get Bernie Sanders to fight with Hillary Clinton like asking the anti-corporatist Sanders’ view on money being funneled to the Clinton Foundation from foreign companies while Hillary was still Secretary of State? Cooper, if he were following Tapper’s lead, could also ask more personal questions, such as asking Martin O’Malley if he thinks Hillary Clinton’s high untrustworthy numbers in polls disqualifies her to be the nominee,” said the MRC analysis provided to Secrets.
MRC works with Secrets to produce our weekly Mainstream Media Scream feature published on Mondays.
The media watchdog said the 55 questions aimed at GOP candidates was aimed at prompting a “food fight” between the 10 on stage.
For example, the first question pushed Carly Fiorina to take on Donald Trump, not explain her position on issues. Tapper asked, “Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal, has suggested that your party’s frontrunner, Mr. Donald Trump, would be dangerous as president. He said he wouldn’t want, quote, ‘such a hot head with his finger on the nuclear codes.’ You, as well, have raised concerns about Mr. Trump’s temperament. You’ve dismissed him as an entertainer. Would you feel comfortable with Donald Trump’s finger on the nuclear codes?”
MRC’s report, seen here, had other examples.
Paul Bedard, the Washington Examiner’s “Washington Secrets” columnist, can be contacted at [email protected].
